Ruvimbo Muchenje
Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission has nabbed Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s, Collins Chakamavinga(38), for allegedly facilitating the smuggling of an assortment of goods under the guise of Agricultural Inputs prejudicing the country of USD$18 979.
Chakamavinga’s accomplices,Michael Makonye of Tayema Investments [Pvt] Ltd Clearing Agency, Batsirai Mangoma, Zondai Bechayi, and Steven Masaraure—linked to Withyou Customs Clearing (Pvt) Ltd —now face fraud and smuggling charges following a sting led by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).
The scheme unravelled when two trucks were intercepted by ZACC officers who were acting on a tipoff that the trucks had not been searched and scanned as had been instructed by officials.
It is alleged that,
“At around 2300 hours, officers reacted to the tip off and intercepted the two aforesaid trucks at Manica truck stop, Mutare after being released by Zimbabwe Revenue Authority [ZIMRA]. Upon interception officers demanded the drivers of Mozambican nationality, to produce the consignment’s customs documents. However, the drivers indicated that the documents were in the possession of their agent,Tinashe Maunze.
“Resultantly, the two trucks were commandeered back to the border post for physical examination.
“On 9 July 2025 Tinashe Maunze and Steven Masaraure reported at ZACC offices with customs documents which they purported to be the customs documents and on 10 July 2025, the two vehicles were subjected to re-examination and it emerged that the two trucks contained an assortment of goods, contrary to the accused’s declarations to ZIMRA that the consignment consisted of cultivator spare parts and accessories, and machinery parts for agricultural machines.
Investigations conducted by the commission revealed that the Mozambican registered truck was routed for physical examination, and was purportedly subjected to a physical examination by ZIMRA Revenue Officer Collins Chamakavinga, who falsely documented the examination in Zimra’s system misrepresenting that he had conducted physical examination with a fellow Revenue Officer Hillary Chiwamba.
Investigations found that Chakamavinga and Chiwamba released the trucks without inspection or scanning. Even after the trucks had been flagged and redirected for re-searching, one truck was released again without examination, and the motive is under investigation.
Further investigation established that the second truck bearing a Mozambican registration number was also released without undergoing either a Physical Examination or scanning procedures.
It also emerged that that the fraudulent declarations were inputted through the Zimra system under Chakamavinga and Chiwamba’s profiles.
On the 14 July 2025, the accused were arrested and they will appear at Mutare Magistrates Court on 16 July 2025 for initial remand.
Meanwhile, efforts to account for Tinashe Maunze are underway.
